How To Keep Your Child Reading Over Summer Break

School is finally out! Remember the old song: “No more classes, no more books, no more teachers’ dirty looks”? I’m fine with no more classes and no more teachers’ dirty looks, but “no more books” is a no-go in our family. Summer is a wonderful time to develop a child’s love for reading, but if you want your kids to love reading, you have to find a way to make it fun! Here are a few (fun) ways you can keep your child reading during summer break!

How to Keep Your Child Reading Over Summer Break

Issue a friendly challenge.

Set up a simple challenge to motivate your kids. Get a piece of poster board and write “I will read (number) books by (date).” Have your kids color in blocks or write checkmarks to chart their progress. If they make it to the end, they can get a simple treat such as an ice cream party or a trip to a splash pad!

Let your child choose the books.

No matter how awesome the reward is, your kids aren’t going to want to read if they hate the books you choose. Try to let them choose their own selections. What if your kids don’t know what they like? Grab a few different kinds of storybooks suitable for their age and read them together. As they explore books, you’ll get an idea of what they’re interested in.

If you are looking for new books to try here ate the top five kid’s books on Amazon.

Set aside family reading time.

Of course, the best way to make your kids into readers is to set the example. So get a few summer books of your own and have family reading time each day. Choose 15 or 20 minutes during the hottest part of the day to read quietly in the same room. (Trust me, when it’s super hot, you’ll want to be inside anyway.) You might even find that you’ll rediscover your love for leisure reading as well!

Give your child an easy way to keep up with his or her reading progress this summer with this free Summer Reading Log!

To download it, click the image or the link below! And don’t forget to print one for yourself too.